Texans' Foster thinks outside the box while playing in it

:
January 12, 2013
: Updated: January 12, 2013 10:43pm

Houston Texans Arian Foster (23) runs during the first quarter of an NFL wild card playoff football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013, in Houston. (AP Photo/Dave Einsel)

Photo By Dave Einsel/Associated Press

Houston Texans Arian Foster (23) runs during the first quarter of an NFL wild card playoff football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013, in Houston. (AP Photo/Dave Einsel)

Photo By Eric Gay/Associated Press

Houston Texans running back Arian Foster (23) celebrates his touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals during the third quarter of an NFL wild card playoff football game Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Houston Texans running back Arian Foster (23) is tackled by Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Michael Johnson (93) during the third quarter of an NFL wild card playoff football game Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013, in Houston. (AP Photo/Dave Einsel)

Photo By Eric Gay/Associated Press

Houston Texans running back Arian Foster (23) runs the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second quarter of an NFL wild card playoff football game Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Photo By Steven Senne/Associated Press

Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub (8) hands off to running back Arian Foster (23) during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots in Foxborough, Mass., Monday, Dec. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Photo By Elise Amendola/Associated Press

Houston Texans running back Arian Foster (23) scores a touchdown in front of New England Patriots outside linebacker Jerod Mayo (51) during the third quarter of an NFL football game in Foxborough, Mass., Monday, Dec. 10, 2012. The Patriots won 42-14. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Photo By Elise Amendola/Associated Press

Houston Texans running back Arian Foster (23) runs from New England Patriots defensive end Chandler Jones (95) and his teammates during the second quarter of an NFL football game in Foxborough, Mass., Monday, Dec. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

HOUSTON — Since Arian Foster considers himself, among other things, a dedicated follower of football fashion, his flights of fancy can throw some unexpected twists into the Texans' orderly, structured routine.

Foster, for example, announced at midweek that it was he who lobbied for the Texans to wear all-blue uniforms during their wild-card game against Cincinnati and that he would push for an all-white ensemble for today's game with the Patriots.

“We're trying to go with the icy whites, all-whites,” he said. “... Because they're sweet. You know they're sweet.”

After the laughter subsided, Kubiak said, “I just want him to play halfback.”

Indeed, it's a position Foster plays well — sometimes spectacularly — amid all his goings-on in other venues.

In the first year of the five-year, $43.5 million contract he signed before the 2012 season, he ran for 1,411 yards and scored 17 touchdowns to earn a third consecutive Pro Bowl berth. With 140 yards in the wild-card game, he became the first player in NFL history to rush for more than 100 yards in his first three playoff appearances.

But what's the fun in that alone? What of the ever-changing Twitter avatars and the Segways and bow ties and wry, philosophical comments (one recent highlight: “I want to hear Lou Holtz read a Shakespeare sonnet. Or just say Shakespeare sonnet”), not to mention his apparent dead-on ability to mimic Louis Armstrong singing “What a Wonderful World”?

All those things have been a part of Foster's 2012-13 season as he pursues his goal, as he described it last week, of “Greatness ... being the best me I can be.”

But the cold truth is that none of his public pronouncements or gestures will matter quite as much to quite as many people unless he keeps pursuing his on-field career with the same considerable degree of success today at Gillette Stadium.

Thus far, though, he's lived up to the hype — self-generated and otherwise — that came on the heels of his tearful news conference last March to announce his new contract with the Texans.

“He's a real pro,” Kubiak said. “First off, the thing that helps players really take their game to the next level in my opinion is when they don't have to work so darn hard on game plans because they know things.

“He's very smart. You could walk in with 40 new runs and 100 new passes. It'd take Arian about an hour to sit there in a meeting and study it, and he could go right out. It's no problem. His talents take over all the time because he is such a smart player. He's a three-down player. He never has to leave the field, and you can't say that for a lot of backs.”

He also has continued this season to display his affinity for gestures, words and actions that seize the public imagination.

His weekly radio show has developed something of a cult following for its “Delving Deep” segments, which focus on such topics as the Aristotelian quandaries of dairy expiration dates, the nature of time and space and Rock/Paper/Scissors strategies.

“He's a great personality to have around here,” said offensive lineman Duane Brown. “He's a guy who always has a great joke for you, always brings great conversations. We've had some deep talks about life and lot of stuff. He definitely thinks outside of the box.” david.barron@chron.com